Nigeria spends N165 billion annually to import fruit juice, the President of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Frank Jacobs, has said.

In a paper presented at a workshop organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Owerri on Friday, Jacobs noted that in spite of the high rate of fruit production and a thriving juice market, the country imported fruits concentrates.

In the paper entitled “Promoting Investments in Concentrate Production,’’ he said the situation resulted in an estimated loss of one billion dollars annually.
Jacobs, represented by Mr Nwabueze Anyanwu, observed that Nigerian farmers also lost 60 per cent of their produce as a result of lack of processing facilities.

He listed other factors to include limited demand and logistics challenges such as handling and transporting the fruits to the urban centres.

“Importation of concentrates has adversely affected local fruits cultivation for juice processing,’’ the MAN president said.

He also said that the continued dependence on massive importation of concentrates by industries was not healthy for the nation’s economy.

He said that the availability of raw materials, a large market, a ready domestic concentrate and good export potentials should serve as incentives to attract investment in the project.

Jacobs said that the challenge of poor concentrates in the country could be overcome with improved high-yield seedlings, technology and technical services and better education and enlightenment for farmers.

He noted that the recent drive by the Federal Government to diversify the economy, encourage resource-based industrialisation and backward integration should provide the needed impetus to attract investors.

He urged the government to ensure policy consistency to avoid a repetition of policy summersaults of yesteryears.

http://www.metronaija.com/2016/04/nigeria-spends-n165b-yearly-on-imported.html

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

Hmm too bad, come to benue state, orange is 90% the income of farmers cashaw and mangos are everywhere and i know many state are also producing these things and yet we cannot built atleast three to four factories. But sometimes is not the government fault but the too much demand for foreign juice, leaving the home made behind

As a country we can set up major import substitution industry to produce this item.

This is the type of information or data government should always provide for provide for us even in other sectors

The country is a joke.
Everyone should say a big thank you to Iweala

I haven't seen any imported fruit juice in stores and supermarkets in months.meanwhile I consume lots of em.